Habitat for Humanity offers students the chance to volunteer

Habitat for Humanity plans to host multiple charity events during spring semester that Weber State University students can participate in.

A group of Weber State University students pose during a volunteer event with Habitat for Humanity’s Brush of Kindness program. Habitat for Humanity has plans to open a nonprofit home improvement store in Ogden in the future. (Source: Josh Stuart)

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that strives to eliminate poverty and help people who need a helping hand.

Habitat of Humanity plans to open the Habitat ReStore in Ogden at some point during the semester. A ReStore is a nonprofit home improvement store that sells building supplies, new and used furniture and home accessories.

“We want people to be able to upgrade their homes for a low cost,” said Josh Stuart, executive director at Habitat for Humanity. “It helps out a lot of individuals who fall into low-income categories and also people who love do-it-yourself projects.”

Students can donate their time at the ReStore by helping put items onto the sales floor or even just donating items they no longer use.

Habitat for Humanity is hosting their first annual Build Hope Gala on April 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. This gala gives students and community members the opportunity to help build a home for a deserving family by donating to the fund.

The gala will be hosted at Hub 801 at 3525 Riverdale Road. Attendees will also have the chance to mingle with other guests and sample food from various restaurants in Ogden.

Anna Wilson, a singer and songwriter from Nashville, is scheduled to perform at the gala in support of Habitat for Humanity.

She wrote a song specifically for Habitat for Humanity titled, “A House, a Home.”

A Brush of Kindness is another program that Habitat for Humanity runs. A Brush of Kindness helps low-income families who already have a home but are unable to repair or fix up their house.

A Brush of Kindness is where Habitat for Humanity uses most of their volunteers from Weber State University. They do everything from landscaping and yard cleanup to building and repairing fences. Habitat for Humanity does two or three service projects a week. Each service project has anywhere from eight to 10 volunteers.

“There is always a call for this. We had one group that took five truckloads of debris from an owner’s home,” said Dixie Story, office manager and Brush of Kindness coordinator at Habitat for Humanity. “They do work hard and get to see their tearful joy for helping them out.”

Most homeowners provide the volunteers with either a snack or water while they are working in order to give back.

Story told us about a service project that Weber State students helped a homeowner who had multiple sclerosis. The students cleaned up his yard, built a fire pit for him and moved an old refrigerator from his deck.

The owner of the home and his wife were in tears from gratitude by the end of the afternoon.

Most volunteers from Weber State call into Habitat for Humanity looking for volunteer hours.

“The purpose of Habitat is to build hope in homes and communities in the region we are placed in,” said Stuart. “Weber State has the opportunity to connect with Habitat here in the community.”

Stuart added that it gives students the opportunity to expand their experiences and sense of helping others.

“I wanted to get involved in service because I have a lot of time currently,” said Carson Smith, Habitat for Humanity chair at Weber State. “I am big into service. It makes Ogden a better place to live in.”